The First Impressions program was designed to help communities learn about their strengths and shortcomings through the "fresh eyes" of first-time visitors. This Extension-led community assessment program has been implemented in over 500 communities since the 1990s, yet scant literature exists regarding the program's theoretical…

With a decade of experience in creating and running teacher residencies--numbering seven as of 2024--California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) and its partners have developed strong residency structures that allow for the variations that different communities need. This report explores how successful residencies do their work and presents…

This article introduces the Praxis for Accelerated Improvement in Research (PAIR) as a transformative research management paradigm drawn from the participatory action research program focused on research production and publication in a private higher education institution in Manila, Philippines. PAIR mentoring scheme upholds establishing a…

This paper aims to elaborate on the use of Six Sigma and Kaizen in policing services. Two case examples are discussed, followed by a review of the key implications obtained from the projects. In optimising the quality of policing services to the community, the police agencies in the UAE are faced with numerous challenges. This paper aims to…

When the 16 Race to the Top-District (RTT-D) victors were announced in December 2012, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan proclaimed, "Now these winners can empower their school leaders to pursue innovative ideas where they have the greatest impact: the classroom." He backed up his statement with nearly $400 million in awards to be…

Given the newly refined ability to distinguish between teachers and their effectiveness, and the imperative brought on by the Common Core standards (CCSS) to deliver instruction at a more sophisticated level, it is no longer reasonable or tenable to keep treating teachers the same. Instead, school systems should provide their highest-performing…

This study investigates the economic impact of a "turnaround" school on real property values in its surrounding community as related to the argument introduced by Tiebout in 1956 correlating local public goods, in this case school success, to housing-location decision making. Using single-family home sales found on the Multiple Listing System and…

Examining the teaching and learning of English as a Second Official Language (ESOL) in Cameroon through language laws and other official documents (like the syllabi) in terms of their actual implementation is an important step in the development of ESOL education. Such investigations may contribute to the strengthening of the minority official…

According to recent Pew Center research (2021), 72% of the US public uses some form of social media. These social media apps -- from Twitter to Facebook to Snapchat to Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and more -- are utilized to establish our digital presence and portray our digital identities. For higher education institutions and student affairs…

Policy makers' attempts to improve low-achieving schools through reform measures are not new to the 21st century. Research asserts that this policy churn has done little, if anything, to change student achievement levels. Based on the research, I assert that policy reforms such as teacher evaluations and test-based assessment, and school…

The implementation of quality assurance (QA) is one of the most challenging reform areas for Turkey due to the unique organization of its higher education system. This paper explores the development of QA systems in Turkish universities. Using a qualitative case study approach, the authors examine how Turkey accomplishes the goal of implementing…

Throughout the evolution of education, various methods of teacher training have emerged to provide general professional development to educators. After trial and error, forms of coaching, including peer coaching, emerged as one of several operational training tools and has been a recommended method of teacher development in recent years (Cotabish…

In 2004, the University of Kansas (KU) launched an interdisciplinary Graduate Writing Program as part of a larger initiative to reduce time to degree rates and increase degree completion rates. Serving both domestic and international students, this program employs a rhetorical genre-based approach in a series of courses organized around the genres…

The researcher for this evaluative study investigated the efficacy and impact of the iStartSmart college success course by examining the first-term retention, fall-to-fall persistence, and three-year completion rates of community college students who enrolled in the one- or three-credit course at a community college in Arizona and the rates of…

The author never thought he would have to thank Ofsted for a change in its approach that may result in a major improvement in provision; and yet, with the introduction of the revised Common Inspection Framework (CIF), it has made teaching and learning (T&L) the first priority throughout the learning and skills sector. While he wishes to…